Most scientists are of the view that coronavirus originated from China, after all Wuhan was ground zero for the pandemic which began early last year.
Since then, millions have died and many more have been infected. Our way of life has been turned upside down.
Now the World Health organisation has granted emergency approval for China’s COVID vaccine – which is made by Chinese state-owned company Sinopharm.
It is the first vaccine developed by a non-Western country to get WHO backing. And it’s big news, especially for developing nations.
The vaccine has already been given to millions of people in China and elsewhere.
Already, health regulators in various countries – especially poorer ones in Africa, Latin America and Asia – have approved Chinese jabs for emergency use.
The effectiveness of the various Chinese vaccines has long been uncertain.
WHO says the addition of the vaccine had “the potential to rapidly accelerate Covid-19 vaccine access for countries seeking to protect health workers and populations at risk”.
It is recommending that the vaccine be administered in two doses, especially to those aged 18 and over.
Does it even matter?
The green light from the global health body is a guideline for national regulators that a vaccine is safe and effective.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it would give countries “confidence to expedite their own regulatory approval”.
In addition to China, countries already using the vaccine include the UAE, Pakistan and Hungary.
The decision on Friday to approve the vaccine for emergency use was made by the WHO’s technical advisory group, which reviewed the latest clinical data and manufacturing practices.
It said the vaccine’s efficacy for symptomatic and hospitalised cases of Covid-19 was estimated to be 79%.
